High-speed drive for twisting spindles



Nov. l5, 1949 M. c. MILLER HIGH-SPEED DRIVEFOR TWISTING SPINDLES 3Sheets-Sheet l Filed Feb. 14, 1947 INVENTOR. v jam C/ZZ'ZZQF @WW/f ,a v

5 Sheets-'Sheet 2 Filed Feb. 14, 1947- INVENTOR. Max C22/l2 Nov. 15,1949 M. c. MILLER HIGH-SPEED DRIVE FOR TWISTING SPINDLES 3 Sheets-Sheet3 Filed Feb. 14, 1947 Patented Nov. 15, 1949 HIGH-SPEED DRIVE FORTWISTING SPINDLES Max C. Miller, Cumberland, It. I.; Ida L. Millerexecutrix of said Max Curtis Miller, deceased Application February 14,1947, Serial No. '728,419

13 Claims. l

The present invention relates to driving devices for high speed yarnspindles.

The invention is concerned specically with the provision of a novel andimproved spindle drive for use in machines adapted for yarn spinning,twisting, winding and like operations, such machines being constructedwith relatively large numbers of such yarn package carrying spindlesarranged in two parallel rows, and with a, power drive usually in beltform which is geared and operated to rotate the spindles at a maximumspeed of about ten thousand revolutions per minute. Applicant his foundthat when the speed of rotation of the spindles is roughly doubled to arotational speed of twenty thousand revolutions per minute, asubstantial improvement is noticeable in the yarn handling qualities ofthe machine apart from the obvious advantage of increased production. Atthe higher speed, a rmer yarn balloon is formed which is less subject tofluctuation in size than is the case Where the spindles are driven atthe lower conventional rate. A noticeable reduction in the number ofbreaks 0ccurring in the yarn feed is observed particularly for thehandling of synthetic yarns of fine count.

Considerable dii'culty has been experienced in providing a spindle driveWhich is capable of continuous operation to drive the spindles at thegreatly increased rates. Attempts to increase the speed of theconventional belt drives for rotating Yarn twisting spindlessubstantially above levels currently employed have been unsuccessful.Further increase in the already high linear rate of feed of drivingbelts has been found to lead to rapid deterioration and breakage ofbelts, the loads imposed on the bearing surfaces tend to becomeexcessive, and serious vibration faults appear which seriously interferewith the feed of the yarn, and also lead to damage to the operatingparts of the machine. The use of separate electric motors for drivingthe'individual spindles `has not provided a satisfactory solution to theproblem presented.

It is a. principal object of the invention to provide in a yarnprocessing machine of the general character described, novel drivingdevices capable of driving a multiplicity of yarn twisting spindlescontinuously and efficiently at substantially in- -creased speeds in theorder of twenty thousand revolutions per minute.

More specifically, it is an object of the invention to provide spindledriving devices including a driver of such form and a multiplicity ofyarn spindles so grouped with relation to the driver to cause thelightly constructed and delicately Cgi mounted yarn twisting spindles tobe driven at speeds in the order of twenty thousand revolutions andupward per minute without setting up excessive strains or stresses orcausing excessive vibration in either the driving or driven parts of themachine.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a novel and improvedmeans for the transmission of power from a main driver to effect therotation of the lightly constructed and delicately mounted yarn twistingspindles at the extremely high rotational speeds herein contemplated,and without subjecting either the driving or driven elements of themachine to excessive vibration or strain.

In carrying out the invention, a novel construction and arrangement ofthe yarn twisting spindies and of the driving connections therefor isprovided in a yarn processing machine, which consists in the provisionof a rotary yarn spindle driver, a series of yarn twisting spindlesgrouped in circular relation contiguous to the periphery of the driverto be driven therefrom, and means to establish a driving relationbetween the driver and each of the spindles.

In the preferred form of the invention illustrated, the machine isentirely supported from a central vertically arranged column on whichare carried a circular ring support having series of yarn twistingspindles and bearings for the hub of the rotary yarn spindle driver. Adriver having a driving periphery in the order of three to ve feet indiameter, has been found to be of advantage to provide a most efcientoperating connection between the driver and individual spindles. Furtherin order to utilize most effectively the advantages of compactness andelciency inherent in the disclosed construction, it is proposed toemploy two or three tiers of yarn spindles together with a yarn spindledriver for each tier, which will be carried one above the other on thecentral column. For clarity of illustration and to avoid unnecessaryduplication, one tier of spindles only together with its driver is shownin the drawings.

Further in accordance with the invention, the means to establish adriving connection between the driver and each of the spindles, takesthe form of a magnetic field consisting of a series of high density fluxareas spaced from one another about the peripheral driving edge of thedriver to produce a rapidly moving field of uctuating strength, andarmature elements which take the form of disk members supported to turnwith the respective spindles, and are further constructed and arrangedto be responsive to and to be rotated at a very high rate by the actionof the rotating lield.

In accordance with the invention, a very simple construction andarrangement of the field and a'mature elements of the drive has beendeveloped, of which the eld element consists oi' a ring woundelectro-magnet and pole elements in the form of peripherally disposedplates of opposite polarity, and with serrated edges to produce a seriesof high density flux areas extending across the peripheral edge of thedriver. The armature elements associated with the driven spindlesconsist of a series of disk members which are supported to turn with thespindles, and to project into the path of movement of the high densityux areas to be driven thereby. The disk elements are preferably formedwith synchronizing poles which are in spaced relation to the highdensity flux areas of the driver to cause the spindles to be driven at aspeed which is in a definite ratio to the speed of rotation of thedriver.

In a preferred form of the invention, the driven disk members may beconstructed of any light electricity conducting material such asaluminum, so that the disks tend to be rotated. by the rapidly rotatingfluctuating field oi the driver by the force of induction, and disks orspots oi any easily magnetized material such as soft iron are providedin the disks to serve synchronizing poles. rllhe induction driveproduced in this manner is well adapted to permit any individual spindleto be stopped and again. started during the continued rotation of thedriver and remaining spindles of the machine, the individual spindlewith its disk being rapidly brought upto speed and then locked insynchronized driving relation to the driver in the manner of anysynchronous induction motor.

With the above stated and other objects in Aview as may hereinafterappear, the several features of the invention consist also in thedevices, combinations and arrangement of parts hereinafter described andclaimed, which toge ier with the advantages to be obtained thereby willbe readily understood by one skilled in the art from Vthe followingdescription taken in connection Vprocessing machine embodying theseveral features of the invention, and showing particularly the frame,the driving assembly and a p` of yarn spindles and spools arranged to bedriven thereby; Fig. 2 is a fragmentary sectional view on an enlargedscale showing particularly the arrangement of the electro-magneticdriving disks and the spindle supported driven disk element cooperatingtherewith; Fig. 3 is a fragmentary sectional View on an enlarged scaleof parts shown in Fig. l, to illustrate particularly the arrangement oithe electrical contactors collector rings for the electro-magnetwindings in the driver; Fig. Li is a pian View of the machine shown inl; 5' a .fragmentary sec tional view on a greatly enlarged scale of thedriver and spindle driven thereby as shown in y Figs. i. and 2l, andwith the added illustration of a spindle brake; and Fig. 5 is afragmentary plan view on 'the scale and illustrating substam tially theparts shown in Fig. 5.

The yarn processing machine herein disclosed as embodying in preferredform the several Eeatures of the invention, comprises a base it on whichis rigidly mounted a vertically extending column it'. The rigidsupporting structure of the machine also includes a spindle supportingring lil which is mounted on `livc arms iii which are secured to andextend outwardly from the column Each oi the arms l5 is provided at itsouter end with a vertically extending screwthreaded bolt il which issecured its end to the ring it and is adjustable axiallyin the arm l5 bymeans of check nuts lf3 to pe it a ready adjustment of the verticalposition of the spindle supporting rings Hl.

The spindle driving mechanism of the machine comprises generally arotary disk-shaped driver of large diameter consisting oi a disk whichis carried on the outwardly extending flange 22 of a vertically arrangedhub member El? rotatably supported on the column il. by means ci upperand lower ball. bearings 2S and 2B. An Lv-shaped collar fill locatedbeneath the hub 2% and lower bearing 22 on column l2 is adapted toprovide vertical support `[or the driver'. The driver 23 is arrangedto'be driven from an electric motor suspended from a bracket 34 in theit through connections which include a vertically arranged drive shaft36 which extends upwardly within the column l2, being supported in anupper hearing and lower bearing di?, and connected by moans oi acoupling G2 with the armature shaft fifi of the motor 32. At its upperend the shaft has secured thereto a gear lll which meshes with aninternally toothed gear ring i8 rigidly secured to the hub 24 of driver20.

In the illustrated construction, the ring la'. provides support for aseries o1 fty yarn twisting spindles which are preferably, although notnecessarily, constructed and arranged in accordance with theillustration of my copending application Serial No. 708,170, iiledNovember 6, 1946, for Yarn spindles, and are well adapted for continuousoperation at rotational speeds of twenty thousand revolutions and upwardper minuto. Each individual spindle as best shown in Fig. 5 of thedrawings, comprises a vertically arranged blade 5d which is supported inappropriate bcarings within a cylindrical housing having a supportingflange formed thereon as indicated at 5l in Fig. 5. A cylindrical sleeveor skirt which is secured at its upper end to a collar 54 on the bladeE@ extends downwardly over and covers that portion of the housinglocated above the supporting flange 5l. A portion of the housing locatedbelow the ilange 5l (not shown) crtends downwardly through an aperturein t supporting ring I4, and has mounted on the lower end thereof alubricant reservoir 58. The spindle is held in place by the engagementci the ange or shoulder 5l oi the housing with the upper side of thering lil and clamping nut E0 screw-threaded to th-e lower portion of thehousing and arranged for pressing engagement against the under side ofthe supporting -ing i4.

Each spindle is provided with means ier n1echanically braking thespindle to stop, which comprises (see Figs. 5 and 6) a braking lever B2provided with a friction face til adapted for engagement with thecylindrical sleeve or skirt 52 of the spindle. The braking lever 62 issupported on a pin t5 carried in a bracket nioinited on the upper sideof the supporting ring I4, being spring-pressed by means of springs "illin a clochwise direction from the position shown in Fig. 5 against thespindle. The braking lever 52 is ncrmally maintained in inoperativeposition by means of a latch "l2 mounted on a pivot pin 14 in a bracket16 secured to the under side of the supporting ring I4. A compressionspring I8 acts on the latch lever 12 to maintain the same in thelatching position shown in Fig. 5.

An important feature of the invention consists in the provision of meansfor transferring a driving impulse from the peripheral edge of thedriver travelling at very high peripheral speeds at a linear rate in theorder of two miles per minute to a series of lightly constructed anddelicately balanced yarn twisting spindles supported adjacent to andabout the periphery of the driver. In the preferred form of theinvention, this driving impulse is produced by a rapidly movingfluctuating magnetic field which is set up across the peripheral drivingedge of the driver, and is arranged to act upon cooperating driven disksin the nature of armature elements associated with the individualspindles.

As will be evident from a consideration of the drawing, the driver 2l!takes the form of a steel disk having secured thereto a ring 82 which isof non-magnetic material preferably aluminum. The ring 82 in turnprovides support for a series of upperand lower outwardly projectingring seg ments 84 and 86 which form oppositely polarized pole pieces fora ring-shaped electro-magnet extending entirely around the peripheraledge of the driver. The electro-magnet is formed with an iron ring orcore 88 fastened between the segmental plates 84 and 86 abutting thering sup-f port 82, a ring coil 9D which is disposed between the plates84, 8&5 against the iron core 8d, and a series of spacing segments 92interposed between the plates toward the outer diameter of the driver.The pole plates 84, 86 as best shown in Fig. 6, are formed withscalloped edges to provide outwardly projecting pairs of poles 89 whichproduce separated flux areas of high density extending across thedriving edge of the driver at spaced intervals about the peripherythereof. The air .gap between the poles of the pairs is narrowed bymeans of additional pole pieces in the form of steel plates 94, 96.

Power for the ring electro-magnet coil 90 is readily supplied by meansof appropriate leads, ring conductors and brushes carried respectivelyby the driver and supporting column I2 of the machine. The magnet coilleads are indicated at k98 and Il (see Fig. 1), being connected with twoslip rings |02 and |04 carried by the upper end of the driver hub 24.The slip rings are engaged respectively by brushes I il@ and 38yieldably supported in holders ||El and ||2 on a bracket H4 on thecolumn I2. The lead wires for the brushes are indicated respectively atI6 and I I8 in Fig. 3.

As shown in the drawings, each of the yarn ltwisting spindles 5E] hasmounted to turn therewith a disk element |29 preferably of aluminum,

valthough any electricity conducting material may be employed. Thesedisks are arranged to project between the pole plates 84, 85. rlherotation of the driver 2) causes the high density flux -areas extendingbetween the pairs of poles 8S to be passed in very rapid successionacross the disks to produce the effect upon each successive magneticdisk of a rapidly fluctuating magnetic eld, causing the disks to rotate.The operation of the .driving connection in this respect may be comparedwith the operation of a watt meter of from one another about the disk insuch angular relationship to cause them to be synchronized with theprojecting pairs of poles 89 of the driver. In the preferred form of theinvention illustrated, the magnetic insets |22 are of soft iron toprovide synchronizing poles which will tend to cause the disks to rotatein a substantially synchronized relation to the driver.

The driving impulse provided by the magnetic eld and armature elementsabove described, has been found sufficiently powerful t0 drive thespindles at the high speed of rotation required, has been found toimpose no discernible strain on the spindle bearings, to operatesubstantially without friction or power losses and without any heatingof the driving connections, and with such iiexibility as to permit theindividual spindles to be readily stopped upon the application of alight braking pressure thereto for replenishment, replacement or repair.Upon release of the brake, any spindle stopped in this manner will againstart to rotate, and is very quickly brought up to full speed.

The manner in which the drive operates may be briefly described asfollows. Excitation is applied to the electro-magnet carried by thedriver from a constant source of current, preferably D. C., so that apowerful magnetic field is created consisting of a series of highdensity flux areas extending across the peripheral edge of the driverbetween the pairs of poles 89. The rotation of the driver causes thehigh density iiux areas to be traversed across the disks |25! in rapidsequence. A fluctuating field is thus produced, the fluctuations beingat a very high frequency which is the product of the number ofrevolutions per minute of the driver times the number of pairs of polesdisposed about the periphery of the driver. This rapidly fluctuatingfield serves to produce a sul stantial drag upon the disks |29, tendingto cause these to rotate. The soft iron insets |22 above referred to,areJ acted upon in a similar manner by the fluctuating field, producinga magnetic reaction in the insets which fluctuates rapidly in responseto the fluctuations of the moving field. The magnetic insets employedin. this manner may be regarded as in the nature of synchronizing poleswhich cause the spindles to rotate substantially in synchronism with thedriver.

In accordance with the invention, it is contemplated that permanentmagnet insets of a magnet material having a high degree of retentivitymay be employed, if so desired, to provide a driving impulse baseddirectly upon magnetic attraction.

It will be noted that in order to reduce hysteresis to a minimum, theserrations between the poles are so formed as to cause thecircumferential center distance between individual poles to be sub--stantially equal to the distance from the base to the tip of theindividual poles formed by these serrations.

In the operation of the machine, the motor 32 acting through armaturefifi, extension shaft 36 and gears d6, rotates the driving disk 2d at apredetermined speed which may be approximately 800 R. E. M. Since thereare twenty segmental pole plates de, each with rive individualserrations with pole extensions 54.3, making a total of one hundredareas of high flux density extending across the peripheral edge of thedriver 2E), and these are in turn synchronized with four magnetic insetsor plugs |22 in the disks |20 on the spindles, it follows that onerevolution of the driver 29 will cause each spindle to be rotated 7through twenty-five or substantially twenty-five revolutions subject tosome allowance for slippage, or in the neighborhood oi twenty thousandR, P. M. for a rotational speed or the driver of 800 R. P. M.

It will be understood that those features of construction andarrangement oi the yarn processing machine herein described relatingparticularly to the use o1 a driver of large diameter and thearrangement oi the driven yarn spindles in circular relation contiguousto the peripheral driving edge of the driver, are not limited in theirapplication to spindle driving assembly in which the driving connectionbetween the driver and spindles is provided by the action oi a pulsatingmagnetic neld extending across the peripheral edge of the driver uponcooperating armature elements carried by the respective spindles. Withany form of magnetic or equivalent driving connection, the use of acentrally located driver having a driving peripheral edge of substantialdiameter in the order of three to live feet, is oi great advantage topermit the rotation of the driver at a relatively slow rate in the orderof 800 R. P. M.,

while maintaining a linear peripheral speed suflicient to drive thespindles at twenty thousand revolutions or more per minute. A verycompact and eflicient arrangement of the machine providing for a maximumnumber of spindles is made possible with the illustrated construction.When a driver of sixty inches is employed, fifty spindles can be mountedabout the periphery thereof with suilicient spacing therebetween toprevent possible interference with the ballooning of the yarn drawn frompackages on the spindles. The use of a driver having a peripheraldriving edge of substantial diameter has been found to be of advantagefurther in that the moving surface which acts upon and rotates eachindividual spindle, moves in a relatively straight line, thus proyviding a driving contact oi maximum efficiency whether a magnet andarmature or other driving connection is employed. A driver ofsubstantial diameter having a peripheral edge sixty inches in diameterand rotating at the rate of 800 R. P. M., has the specic advantage thatit permits the use of armature disks associated with the spindles whichare also of relatively large diameter in the order to four inches toprovide a relatively powg eriul driving torque tending to rotate theindividual spindle.

The arrangement of the machine with a central column from which the ringsupport for the spindles and the driver are supported, makes foreiliciency in that all external supporting structure is eliminated whichwould tend to obstruct the work of the machine attendant and must reducesubstantially the number of spindles it would be possible to locateabout the driver. It will be understood that the invention contemplatesalso the provision of a machine of this general description in which aplurality of tiers or oa-fiks ci spindles are supported one above theother from the central column, together with the associated drivers andthe usual yarn collecting or spooling devices common to yarn processingmachines of this general type.

It will be understood that the invention is not limited to the specicembodiment shown, and that various deviations may be made therefromwithout departing from the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A yarn spindle driving assembly, which` comprises a frame. a yarnspindle driver ar, ranged to turn on a vertical axis and having adriving perimeter of substantial diameter. a. series of verticallyarranged yarn spindles mounted on the frame in circular relationcontiguous to said driving perimeter, a driving con.- nection betweensaid driving perimeter and the spindles comprising armature disks on thespindles, and means to produce a magnetic eld in said driving perimeterpassing through said disks, and power means for rotating the driver.

2. A driving mechanism for yarn spindles. which comprises a frame, ayarn spindle driver having a driving periphery of substantial diameter,a series of yarn spindles located in circular relation about theperipheral edge of said yarn spindle driver, driven disk elements onsaid spindles, said driver and disks providing cooperating magneticfield producing means and armature means whereby rotation of the driveris effective to rotate the disks, and power means for rotating thedriver.

A yarn spindle driving assembly, which comprises a frame, a yarn spindledriver having malnetic means to produce a series of high density fluxareas spaced from one another about the peripheral edge of the driver, aseries of vertically arranged yarn spindles supported on the frame lncircular' relation contiguous to said peripheral edge, a disk mounted oneach spindle within the influence of said magnetic flux areas,synchronizinz poles spaced from one another about each disk 'tocooperate with said high density ilux areas whereby rotation of thedriver is effective to produce a synchronized rotation of the driver andspindles, and means for rotating the driver.

Ll. A yarn spindle driving assembly, which comprises a frame, a yarnspindle driver arranged to turn on a vertical axis and having a drivingperimeter of substantial diameter, a series of vertlcally arranged yarnspindles mounted on the frame in circular relation contiguous to saiddrlv. ing perimeter, and means for driving the spindles from the driverat a synchronized rate, comprising magnetic field producing meansproviding pairs of separated poles spaced from one another about theperipheral edge of the driver, disks of non-magnetic electricalconducting material secured on said spindles to be passed between thepoles of said pairs, and spots of magnetic material spaced about saiddisks to provide synchronizing poles whereby rotation of the driver iseffective to effect a synchronized rotational movement of said disks andspindles therewith.

5. A yarn spindle driving assembly, which comprises a frame, a yarnspindle driver arranged to turn on a vertical axis and having a drivingperimeter of substantial diameter, a series oi vertically arranged yarnspindles mounted on the frame in circular relation contiguous to saiddriving perimeter, and a driving connection between the driver andspindles in the form of an electromagnet on the driver having upper andlower pole plates with pairs 0f polar extensions extending radiallyoutwardly of the driver at spaced intervals about the periphery thereof,disks of nonmagnetic electrical conducting material projecting betweenthe polar extensions of the pairs, and

Ymeans for rotating the driver.

- frame in circular relation contiguous to said `drlv.-

ing perimeter, and a driving connection between the driver and spindlesin the form of an electromagnet on the driver having upper and lowerpole plates with pairs of polar extensions extending radially outwardlyof the driver at spaced intervals about the periphery thereof, armaturedisks having synchronizing poles mounted on said spindles to projectbetween the polar extensions of the pairs, and means for rotating thedriver.

7. A yarn processing machine, which comprises a base, a column, a driverrotatably mounted on the column and having a driving periphery ofsubstantial diameter, a ring support carried from the column, a seriesof yarn spindles on the ring support located in circular relationcontiguous to said driving perimeter, means to establish a drivingrelation between the driving perimeter or" the driver and each of saidspindles, and power means for rotating the driver.

8. A yarn processing machine, which comprises a base, a verticallyarranged lcylindrical column, a driver rotatably supported on the columnand having a driving perimeter of substantial diameter, a ring supportcarried from the column, a series of yarn spindles located in circularrelation on the ring support contiguous to said driving perimeter, meansto establish a magnetic eld about said driving perimeter, armature diskson the spindles supported within the influence of said magnetic eld, andpower means for rotating the driver.

9. A yarn processing machine, which comprises a base, a column, a drivercomprising a driving hub rotatably supported on the column, a diskdriving member carried by the hub, a ring magnet supported from the diskmember having upper and lower pole plates with serrated edges providinga series of pole pairs spaced about the periphery of the driver, astationary ring support carried by the column, a series of yarn spindlesImounted in circular relation on the ring support contiguous to thedriver, armature disks on the spindles projecting between the poles ofsaid pairs, and power means connected with said hub for rotating thedriver.

10. In a yarn processing machine having a rotary driver with a drivingperipheral edge of substantial diameter, and a series of yarn spindleslocated in circular relation contiguous to the driving edge to be driventherefrom, of which the driver comprises a rotatable driving hub, a diskdriving member carried by the hub, a ring magnet having upper and lowerpole plates with serrated edges providing a series of pole pairs spacedabout the periphery of the driver, and said spindles having mountedthereon armature disks arranged to project between the poles of saidpairs.

11. In a yarn processing machine, a base, a

column, a driver comprising a driving hub rotatably supported on thecolumn, a disk driving member carried by the hub, a ring magnetsupported from the disk member, upper and lower segmental pole platesfor said magnet having polar projections providing pole pairs at spacedintervals about the peripheral edge of the driver, a stationary spindlesupport, a series of yarn spindles mounted in circular relation on saidspindle support contiguous to the driver, armature disks havingsynchronizing poles mounted on the spindles to project between the polesof said pairs, and power means .connected with said hub for rotating thedriver.

l2. In a yarn processing machine, a base, a column, a driver comprisinga driving hub rotatably supported on the column, a disk driving membercarried by the hub, magnetic means supported from the disk member havingupper and lower pole plates with polar extensions providing at spacedintervals about the peripheral edge of the driver pairs of polarextensions, a ring support carried by the column, a series of yarnspindles mounted in circular relation on the ring support contiguous tothe driver, armature disks having synchro-nizing poles mounted on thespindles to project between the poles of said pairs, an electric motor,and driving connections located within the column connected with saidhub for rotating the driver.

13. In a yarn processing machine, a rotary driver comprising a diskmember, magnetic means supported from the disk member having upper andlower pole plates with serrated edges providing at spaced intervalsabout the peripheral edge of the driver, pairs of polar extensions eachof a length substantially equal to the width of the space separatingadjacent extensions, a series of yarn spindles mounted in circularrelation about the peripheral edge of the driver, and armature disks onthe spindles projecting between the poles o said pairs.

MAX C. MILLER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 4,179 Brundred Sept. 9, 1845577,195 Morgan Feb. 16, 1897 982,789 Bowie Jan. 31, 1911 1,084,148Hangenin Jan. 13, 1914 1,513,906 Hoiner Nov. 4, 1924 1,668,365 Hall May1, 1928 1,748,753 Bowie Feb. 25, 1930 1,840,726 Lange Jan. 12, 1932

